1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus which carries out developing processing of a film accommodated in a film accommodating container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, generally-used 135-size negative films are removed from a spool shaft (or are cut in a vicinity of a spool shaft) and are subjected to developing processing while being conveyed by conveying rollers or the like through a plurality of processing tanks.
A developed negative film is cut per a predetermined number of frames so as to form piece negatives which are returned to the customer.
Recently, a new system has been proposed in which the developed negative film is returned to the customer in the state of being accommodated in the cartridge without the negative film being cut as described above.
In this new system, a negative film is withdrawn from a cartridge which is brought in by a customer, and the negative film is subjected to developing processing. The negative film which has undergone developing processing is accommodated in the original cartridge and returned to the customer.
The processing tanks of a conventional automatic developer require a large internal volume in order for the negative film to be conveyed through the processing tanks while being bent. Further, in order to convey the negative film, it is necessary to provide a plurality of conveying rollers in the tanks, and these conveying rollers also require space.
In light of the fact that an automatic developer requires a plurality of processing tanks in order to carry out plural processings such as color developing, fixing/bleaching, rinsing, and the like, the automatic developer becomes large and occupies a large space. As a result, the automatic developer cannot be placed in a small space, and a drawback arises in that places at which the automatic developer can be placed are limited.
Further, when the above-described new system is used in an automatic developer, a device for separating the negative film from the spool shaft of the cartridge and a device for anchoring the developed negative film to the spool shaft again are needed. A drawback arises in that the automatic developer thereby becomes even more complex and even larger.
Moreover, when a small amount of negative films is to be subjected to developing processing, conventionally, the following method is used. The film case is disassembled, and the negative film therein is cut in a vicinity of the spool shaft so as to be separated from the spool shaft. A weight is attached to the cut negative film, and the negative film is immersed in the processing solution stored in the processing tank. (This method is known as "hanging developing".)
Here, when the conventional hanging developing method is used in the new system, a device, which separates the negative film accommodated in the cartridge from the spool shaft without requiring the disassembly of the cartridge, and a device, which engages the developed negative film with the spool shaft of the cartridge, are needed. A drawback arises in that the developing processing system becomes complex.
In order to solve the above-described drawbacks, a method has been proposed in which the negative film fed out to the exterior of the cartridge is immersed in the processing solutions in the processing tanks with an end portion of the negative film still anchored to the spool shaft. However, in this case as well, a device for pulling the film out from the other end thereof is needed.
In large apparatuses such as automatic developers and the like, there is a drawback in that the processing tanks become large because the negative film is conveyed by rollers.
In the hanging developing method, there is no need for conveying rollers or the like. However, because the film sways, the opening surface area of the processing tank is relatively large.
In the hanging developing method, space is required for the film to be able to sway while hanging in the processing tank, and accordingly, the processing tanks must be made sufficiently large. Therefore, as before, there is a drawback in that the processing tanks take up much space.
In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, a method of automatically replacing the processing solutions in a single processing tank has been proposed.
However, in a processing tank in which the opening surface area has been made relatively small, when the processing solution is stirred or replaced by a pump or the like, the liquid surface fluctuates greatly, and the processing solution may overflow out of the tank.
In the hanging developing method, in order to prevent developing irregularities, the negative film is swung up and down or the like such that processing is carried out while the processing solution is being stirred. Therefore, a drawback arises in that much work is required. Further, in the hanging developing method as well, a processing tank must be provided for each processing solution, and as before, a drawback arises in that the processing tanks require much space.
The above-described drawbacks are also present in a printer processor which combines an automatic developer and a printer.